Barney Stinson
, Barney claims he was six years old on July 23, 1981. This puts his birthday somewhere between July 24, 1974 and July 23, 1975. However in , Ted says Barney was born seven years after the 1969 moon landing, meaning his birthday is in 1976. Until an exact birthdate is confirmed, it is accepted that his birthday must fall somewhere between 1974 and 1976. |job = Employee of AltruCell Corporation/ GNB |romances = see List of Barney's romances, Shannon (ex-girlfriend) Robin Scherbatsky (ex-girlfriend, future wife, assumption) Nora (future wife, assumption) }} Barney Stinson, a serial womanizer who claims to be Ted Mosby's best friend (even though Ted has claimed many times that it's Marshall), has been part of the gang ever since he met Ted in the men's room of MacLaren's Pub in 2001. Barney's elaborate theories and schemes regarding the seduction of women are a constant source of humor, amazement, and disgust to the rest of the group. Appearance In 1998, after discovering his girlfriend Shannon has been cheating on him with an older suit-wearing man, Barney changes from his hippy appearance into the suit-loving man of present day. He even has a special silk suit that he wears as pajamas. There are some exceptions when Barney won't wear a suit. In " ", it's revealed that he won't wear a suit at a funeral because suits should be worn only during joyous occasions. Barney is very proud and confident about his appearance. Throughout the series, many women have shown to be attracted to Barney. See also: Barney's Doppelganger and Suit Up Personality Before the start of the series and before he met the rest of the gang, Barney was somewhat of a hippie. He wanted to join the Peace Corps, was disgusted when men treated women like objects, and wished to wait to lose his virginity to his college girlfriend, Shannon, until after the two married. His personality radically changed when he caught Shannon cheating on him with a man named Greg. His current mannerisms and dress sense are based on the man who took Shannon away from him. Barney is now an extreme womanizer, not content unless he is pursuing his latest conquest. He has no problem lying or using extremely ridiculous methods to charm women. Along with being proud and very open about his collection of pornography, he doesn't see anything wrong about secretly video taping and taking pictures of the women he sleeps with. He did mention to Robin that he watches the videos to study himself more, like how athletes study game tapes. He also seems to dislike the idea of owning a "little, black book" and instead has a scrapbook filled with the pictures of women he has slept with. Barney does not care at all what happens to his one-night stands as long as he doesn't have to see or talk to them again. Barney is very driven to achieve what he wants and will go to great lengths to make it happen. He takes comments such as "No one can do this" as a challenge, announcing "Challenge Accepted!". He will even take an entire year to fulfill a challenge even if the person who "challenged" him doesn't even remember, as seen when Barney took a year to get Ted to grow a mustache in " ". Barney even has a gambling problem that he cultivated after Marshall made a bet with him one Super Bowl Sunday revealed in " ". He frequently makes bets and tries to make them for exorbitant sums of money until the others remind him that it's ridiculous. In " ", it's shown that he once blew his life savings on gambling. Regardless of this change, Barney has shown to have a somewhat childish personality as well. He is an avid blogger and laser tag fan. He's extremely aggressive while playing laser tag, to the point where he's been seen pinning a child down to the ground while shooting him, which got him banned from his usual laser tag spot. To add to his childish personality, he sought revenge by TP'ing the place for banning him. He also loves to do magic tricks, although he does use them sometimes to pick up women. Barney seems to have a preference with magic that involves fire, which caused his friends to have an intervention to get him to stop to using magic. Barney is known to be a huge momma's boy. James, Barney's older brother, told the rest of the gang that Barney always believed in every lie their mother told them as children, no matter how ridiculous. Barney's love for his mother goes so far that when he thought she was dying he hired a child actor and actress to pose as his son and wife and continued this lie for years to make her happy. Barney's personality has been noted to be very similar to Robin's. The two see marriage/commitment as a drag; they prefer to have relationships that are casual and fun; they enjoy smoking cigars and playing laser tag (although Robin is not as avid a fan as Barney); and they are very confident in their looks, ability to lie, and sexual performance. It's these similarities, which allow the two to get along so well and both Lily and Marshall believed that this is was why they were perfect for each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. Barney's more tender, former personality has not entirely disappeared, however. He is very loyal to his family and friends. This is shown as he acted as Ted's wingman for the entire series and helped Marshall get a job when he had financial troubles. Though, he does sometimes get embarrassed when others see his kindness and will often make a rude comment to throw them off or try to keep his actions secret, as seen when he tried to stop Lily from revealing to Marshall that he went to San Francisco to convince her to return to New York and get back together with Marshall after she left him for an art fellowship. Everyone else in the gang has noted that Barney has some very unusual and annoying habits. In " ", they told Barney that he'll sometimes talk in a weird, high pitched voice, use lame catchphrases, and space out and not pay attention to anyone else. Some of the catchphrases Barney uses are "Suit Up!", "It's going to be legendary!", and "Awesome". Ted has told Barney that he's too liberal with the word "legendary". In " ", after Ted asked Barney whether or not he was the worst student ever when he was in school, Barney said he was told that he "had A.D...something" before asking again if they could have class outside, meaning that he probably suffers from Attention Deficet Disorder. Another odd habit that only Ted has pointed out is that when ever making up statistics, Barney tends to use the number 83, or some variation thereof (8.3 seconds in " "). Barney also has an interesting way of watching movies. When watching, he decides who the protagonist of the movie is based on the title of the movie, for example he roots for the Terminator in The Terminator and was sad when watching the ending where it was destroyed. Career Not much is known about Barney's career. Whenever asked what it is he does for a living, he always shakes off the question by laughing and saying "Please...". However, it is known that he works for the AltruCell Corporation, then later Goliath National Bank after AltruCell acquires GNB in a hostile takeover. It is assumed that he is a high ranking member in the company. He himself has said that he knows so much about the company's dirty secrets, he won't ever be fired, ( ), although he was almost fired in the start of 2010 because he was blamed for the failure of a big merging ( ). He was head of GNB's search committee in 2008, hiring Sven and then Ted to design the new GNB headquarters, he also has the power to change ATM charges to Freedom charges ( ). When the project was scrapped ( ) and then brought back in 2010, Barney was still in charge of hiring the architect ( ). His job also entails firing potentially hostile employees ( ). It's hinted that his job may include illegal activities, especially considering he's never told any of the gang exactly what his job is. Marshall, after reading some of Barney's documents, is afraid of what they did to the drinking water in Lisbon, and notes that if the contracts aren't carried out precisely, they will be at war with Portugal. When Barney is afraid he might die, he tells Lily to take the briefcase under his bed and dispose of it in the East river ( ). He works alongside many GNB employees, such as Marshall,Ted, Arthur Hobbs, Blauman and Bilson. Although his salary is unknown, it's assumed that he makes a fairly large amount, given that he owns many expensive suits, a luxurious apartment, Flat Screen TVs(To which he breaks to release his fustrations) and always has spare money available for all of his schemes (such as the professional old man costuming ( ) and complete scuba diving gear ( ). Background Barney was born in 1976 and grew up in Staten Island.Zoo or False Barney was raised by his single mother, Loretta Stinson, with his older brother, James. James and Barney asked their mother why they had different skin colors, but she would either lie to them with impossible and illogical reasons or attempt to change the subject. Barney would also ask his mother who his father was. Eventually, she would tell Barney that Bob Barker was his father. On July 23, 1981, Barney's actual father, Jerome Whittaker, took Barney to the National History Museum under the belief he was his "Uncle Jerry". The six year old Barney knocked down the blue whale that was hung from the museum's ceiling by throwing a triceratops' rib at it. When he was returned back to his mother, she was furious and Barney never saw his uncle again and was told that he moved away. Throughout his childhood, Barney was constantly lied to by his mother to protect his feelings; for example Barney was told by his mother that he couldn't play basketball because he was too good and it wasn't fair for the other kids, but in reality his coach didn't want him on the team. Barney was also not a popular child and was always picked on. In the seventh grade, Barney was being picked on by Matthew Panning, who was bragging about how he had sex with 100 girls. In response, Barney told Matthew Panning that he would one day sleep with 200 girls. Because Barney grew up in the city, he never learned how to drive. In 1998, Barney had graduated college and was working with his college girlfriend, Shannon, in a coffee shop. Barney had grown up to be somewhat of a hippie. He had planned to join the Peace Corps with Shannon and go to Nicaragua and lose their virginity to one another after they got married. After Shannon did not show up for their departure to Nicaragua, Barney went looking for her. When he found her, she told him that her father, who was still financially supporting her, wouldn't allow her to leave and told him to go on without her. As Barney was leaving, he decided to go back to the coffee shop to try convince her one more time. When he arrived, he discovered she had in fact been cheating on him with man named Greg, who had earlier told Barney that the key to picking up women was money and suits. Barney then made a video where he sings a song trying to convince her to get back together with him, but it didn't work and when he sees her, both she and Greg laugh at him. After being made a fool of, Barney goes to James for advice. James tells Barney that he needs to lose his virginity and suggests that he loses it to their mother's 45-year-old friend Rhonda French, who would constantly talk about the guys she slept with in front of them and had the nickname, "The Man Maker". Barney slept with Rhonda, losing his virginity at the age of 23. Barney's dress style and personality would then radically change and be similar to Greg, the man that took Shannon away from him, and make him the man he is currently. At an unknown time between 1998 and 2001, Barney quit his job at the coffee shop and became an employee of the AltruCell Corporation. In 2001, Barney met Ted Mosby in the men's bathroom at MacLaren's. At the urinal, Barney told Ted a fake story about this being the first time he took his deaf brother out since their mother died and how he puts his dreams on hold to take care of him. Ted believed the story, which surprised Barney and admitted that he made up the story while peeing. Barney asked Ted for his name and before leaving the bathroom he told Ted that he likes him. Fifteen minutes later, Barney sat down next to Ted and told him that he's going to teach him how to live. After which he introduced himself and reminded Ted that they met at the urinal. Barney then told Ted to lose his goatee, get a suit, and to not even think about getting married until he's 30 years old. Barney then told Ted to be silent for the next five minutes as a blonde woman, named Audrey, arrived. Barney then told Audrey that Ted is his deaf brother, Edward. He then became frightened when Audrey started talking to Ted in sign language. Ted surprised Barney when he replied back in sign language. Barney believed that Ted went along with Barney's lie and got Audrey to give Barney her number. Even though the number was fake, Barney considered it a sign that he and Ted were meant to be each other's wingmen forever. After this Ted and Barney started their friendship. What really happened was that Ted told Audrey that Barney was lying and told her to give Barney a fake phone number. Soon after, Barney met Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin. In 2004 while watching the Super Bowl XXXVIII, Marshall convinced Barney to gamble for the first time for only a dollar. After winning that dollar, it caused Barney to love gambling and become a gambling addict. Show Outline Barney in Season 1 Barney in Season 2 Future Barney was shown in in the future. He lied about a bad sickness he had just for revenge. In 2030, when Ted talks to his children about Barney, he refers to him as their "Uncle Barney", possibly meaning that they're close to Barney. In , Ted tells his children that Barney had his last cigarette in March, 2017. In Challenge Accepted it shows that in the future, Barney will get married. In the final scene of , it is revealed that Barney is the groom at the wedding at which Ted meets the Mother. Relationships Romantic Nora Nora was Barney's first Valentine's Day date. Unlike other women, she didn't believe in any of Barney's initial lies when he tried to sleep with her. She was however fascinated by Barney's love of laser tag. After joining him in a laser tag tournament, Barney, after realizing he has feelings for her, agrees to see her again after a first proper date, however, as he is sick, the date gets cancelled as Nora takes care of him. She later dumps him after learning he lied to her about wanting to get married and have kids. She is later seen at the end of Challenge Accepted. It's revealed that Nora actually made Barney's heart skip a beat. Robin Scherbatsky Barney was the one who introduced Robin to Ted, which would lead to her joining the gang. They have a strong friendship due to their similar personalities. In Season 3, when Robin's ex-boyfriend came to visit her, they started dating again. When she was dumped again, Barney was there to comfort her and they slept together. Later on, Barney began falling in love with Robin, but she was hesitant to have a relationship with him. In Season 5, the two of them started a sexual relationship, but eventually became a couple. They did break up, considering themselves to be 'an overload of awesome', but they remain close friends, and it is often shown they still care for one another as noticed in Subway Wars when Barney tackles Ted so Robin will win. During Challenge Accepted it is hinted that they loved each other during their relationship and that it wasn't just a physical one when they are discussing Ted and Zoey's relationship, possibly using their names as a cover for their own. Shannon Shannon was Barney's college sweetheart. They had plans to go into Peace Corps together and lose their virginity to one another. Shannon cheated on Barney, which sparked Barney's transformation into the man he is today. He wouldn't see Shannon again until 2006. After she told him that her relationship with Greg, the man she cheated on Barney with, didn't last and that she gave birth to a son, Barney realized how awesome his life was and slept with her recording them on his cellphone. Friendships Ted Mosby Barney met Ted in the men's room of MacLaren's and not long afterward joined Ted at his booth to inform him that Barney was going to teach him how to live and thus their friendship began. Barney often attempts to employ Ted as his wingman, and constantly demands that Ted "suit up". While Ted is not always receptive to Barney's ideas, the two remain very close friends. Marshall Eriksen Barney and Marshall are close friends, to the point of brotherhood as well as being coworkers. Despite the fact that Ted has said on more than one occasion that Marshall is his best friend, Marshall and Barney still sometimes argue over who holds the coveted title. Lily Aldrin Barney and Lily have a unique friendship. Although she finds many habits and comments of his disgusting, she always helps him better himself. He goes to her when she is in San Fransisco and tells her to come back before she loses Marshall, and is shown emotionally upset when he thinks she and Marshall are getting divorced. He goes to her when he falls in love with Robin, and lets her stay in his apartment when she needs a place, later using her to kick his one night stands out. He kicks her out after he stays in one night and falls asleep in bed with Lily with nothing happening. They have a brother sister relationship, as shown when he stages a one man play just to torment Lily. Family ). |father = Jerome Whittaker; Barney grew up believing Jerome to be his "Uncle Jerry" until late 2010 ( ). Prior to that, he believed his mother's claim that his father was Bob Barker. |nephew = Eli Stinson, adoptive son of brother James. |other = Barnabus Stinson, who Barney claims was the Revolutionary War-era author of the Bro Code ( ) |grandmother = "Nana" who is deceased. Barney hooked up with a redhead at her funeral ( ). }} Trivia *He calls his penis in one show Barnacle, Barnana, Barnito supreme and Barney Jr. *Foreign languages he knows include Chinese, Korean, and Ukranian. Barney did not learn to drive until at least 2005.In Ted started to teach Barney to drive during the MTA Transit strike which was in 2005. *In the episode "Robin 101" Barney states he had ADD even though as a child he got straight A's. *When he is nervous, he will imagine that he is being interviewed by CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz. Notes *John Lithgow plays Barney's fatherJohn Lithgow to Play Barney's Father from the LA Times by Vlada Gelmen, Jan-28-2011. Retrieved Feb-2-2011. *The production staff have stated they prefer a single Barney to a relationship Barney.HIMYM Production Twitter status update Feb-2-2011 in response to @sweetbabyaray. *Barney's twitter account, first mentioned in , is @broslife and is maintained by CBS. Actor Neil Patrick Harris's twitter feed is @ActuallyNPH. *While in "Challenge Accepted" Barney appears to be getting married, Barney is not wearing a wedding ring in the flashforward at the end of "The Exploding Meatball Sub". Also, the only people at his bedside are Robin, Lily, Marshall, and Ted, so unless Barney married Robin, his potential wife is not at his bedside. References Category:Characters Category:Goliath National Bank Category:the gang Category:MacLaren's Pub